Self-starter for internal-combustion engines.



J. J. ROWE.

SELF STARTER FOB, INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24, 1914. 1,199,].% Patented Feb.23, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IHII I lIll\H THE NORRIS PETERS co, PHuwLITHa. WASHINGTON. By C.

J. J. ROWE.

SELF STARTER FDR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED we. 24, 1914.

14. Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J J. R0

SELF STARTER FOR INTERNAL BUSTION ENGINES.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG.24, 1914.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

tllll TT 5 JAMES JESSE ROWE, OF ILFORD, ENGLAND.

SELF-STARTER FOR, INTERNAL-COIMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed August 24, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns Jnssn Rowe, mechanic,-a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 189 Ilford Lane, Ilford, Essex, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Starters for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a speclfication.

This invention for improvements in self starters for internal combustion engines relates to starters in which a spiral spring is connected at its ends by pawl and ratchet or clutch devices to the engine shaft so that the clutch device on the rearward end of the spring acts to wind up the spring and a pawl and ratchet or clutch device is acted on by the forward end of the spring to drive the engine shaft, and this invention has for its object a simple, cheap, compact and reliable device mounted directly and entirely on the engine shaft and rotating when the engine is running normally, idly wlth the engine shaft without other motion or action.

In carrying out this invention the rearward end of the spring is connected to the engine shaft by a winding clutch, the clutch driving to wind up the spring and adapted to be drawn out of action, and the forward end of the spring is connected to the engine shaft through a constantly actinghere1nafter called startingpawl and ratchet device in which the pawl drives to drive the engine shaft; the rearward end of the spring isadapted at starting to be held from unwinding by a frame pawl fixed with re spect to the frame and Withdrawn when the winding clutch is in gear, and the forward end of the spring is adapted to be held by a double acting catch, one member of which s automatically withdrawn when the spring 1s full-y wound and the other member is mounted in a fixed frame and put into position to act with the winding pawl. The spring is mounted in a two part drum each drum part carrying one member of a pawl and ratchet or clutch device and the whole is mounted directly on the engine shaft and has no connection with any other part except when winding up the spring and when starting the engine. It will be readily seen that when the engine is rotated it winds up the spring from the rear end until when the spring is fully wound the double acting catch is automatically removed and the ap- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb, 23, 1915.

Serial No. 858,352.

paratus then rotates as a whole. When the engine is stopped and it is desired to restart, the winding clutch is withdrawn and the frame pawl applied to the rear end of the spring. This disconnects the rear end of the spring from the engine shaft and holds it to the frame and the forward end being always connected to the engine shaft through the starting pawl and ratchet device drives it in the forward direction.

In one way of carrying out this invention a spring attached at its two ends to the sides of a containing drum made in two parts and say the forward end of the spring is attached to the side that is in one with the circumference of the drum and the drum is provided with a slot through which projects a tooth, attached to a saddle inside the drum. This tooth engages with a stop during winding and when the spring is fully wound the tooth is withdrawn. The side of the drum attached to the forward end of the spring is provided with a starting pawl, and works in conjunction with a ratchet wheel on the engine shaft and tends to drive the shaft. The loose side of the drum is provided with clutch teeth and also with ratchet teeth. A clutch sliding on the engine shaft is operated by a lever so that when the clutch teeth are engaged the ratchet teeth are free and when the clutch teeth are disengaged a frame pawl engages the ratchet teeth and prevents the backward motion of the rear end of the spring. In operating this device the positive jaw clutch is engaged and the engine winds up the spring from the rear end, the stop acting on the tooth projecting through the spring drum preventing forward move ment of the forward end of the spring. When fully wound up the spring contracts and draws'the tooth down out of engagement with the stop and the drum then rotates idly with the engine shaft. To start the engine the positive jaw clutch is disengaged and the frame pawl is engaged with the ratchet teeth on the loose side of the drum to prevent backward movement of the rear end of the spring. The engine shaft now being free from the rearward end of the spring, is driven forward by the forward end of the spring acting through the ratchet and is rotated in the forward direction.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings:-Figure 1 is an elevation of the self starter with the casing cut away for purposes of illustration. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the spring drum and other mechanism. Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 a section at 4-4 in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 a section at 55 in Fig. 1 and Fig. 6 a front view of clutch side of the spring drum.

The spring a has its forward end attached to the side I) of the spring drum that is in one with the periphery and that is provided with a slot through which a tooth 0 attached to a stirrup cl inside the drum projects. The tooth c engages a stop 0 and is drawn down when the spring is fully wound by the pins d attached to the spring and working in slots in the stirrup d carryingthe catch 0 and sliding on bosses on the drum that keep it radial. Ihe side I) of the drum is provided with a pawl e which works in conjunction with a ratchet wheel 6 on the engine shaft 7 and the forward end of the spring acting through to the pawl and ratchet tends to drive the engine shaft. The loose side 6 of the drum is provided on its outer face with clutch teeth 9 to engage with the clutch member 9 sliding on the engine shaft 7 and keyed to ita spring m coiled around the shaft f serves to force the clutch member g against the teeth gand also has ratchet teeth h which engage a frame pawl h to prevent backward rotation .of the rearward end of the spring a when the latter is freed from the engine shaft. The engine shaft 7 is provided with a ratchet device 7 so that a starting handle can be used in the event of failure of the starter.

It will be seen that the sides of the drum 6 b are free to rotate on the engine shaft f and are only connected thereto by the clutch members 9 g and ratchet mechanism 6 6 The clutch g g is operated by a lever which is integral with the frame pawl h adapted to engage the ratchet teeth It and is so arranged that when the clutch is engaged the stop 0 is out of operation and when the clutch is disengaged the stop is put into operation as shown in Fig. 1. The stop 0 is actuated by means of a lever or other actuating mechanism not shown and not a part of the invention.

In op eration the self starter works in the following manner :Presuming the engine of the motor is running the clutch g g is engaged to connect the rearward end of the spring to the engine shaft and the stop 0 is put into action against the tooth c to prevent the forward end from rotating forward. The motor now winds up the spring a until when it is fully wound the tooth 0 is withdrawn and the whole apparatus rotates as a whole, the pawl e preventing the spring unwinding as long as the clutch g g is engaged. To restart the engine after a stoppage the clutch g g is disengaged which frees the inner end of the spring a from the engine shaft, and at the same time the frame pawl 72, comes into contact with the ratchet teeth It and prevents the rear end of the spring a rotating backward. The forward end of the spring a now rotates the engine shaft f through the medium of the pawl e and ratchet teeth 6 thus restarting the engine.

In place of the clutch g 9 shown in the drawings a plate clutch could be used which would take up the drive more evenly.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A self-starter for internal combustion engines comprising in combination with an engine shaft, a divided drum rotatably mounted on said shaft, a spring contained in said drum, having its ends secured to each part thereof, a pawl and ratchet secured to one part of the said drum and shaft respectively to prevent independent rotation thereof with respect to said shaft, a clutch member and a peripherally disposed -ratchet secured to the other part of said drum, means mounted on said shaft adapted to alternately engage said clutch member and ratchet, and means whereby the drum may be held against rotation during the re winding operation.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES JESSE ROl VE.

Witnesses:

JAMEs PAYNTER, E. J. V'Voon.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

